Forum for Science, Industry and Business

Certain herbs and supplements can help tummy aches

31.08.2005

As more parents choose home remedies for their childrens gastrointestinal complaints, the question arises, which ones really work?

Kathi J. Kemper, M.D., M.P.H., a pediatrics professor at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, and the author of "The Holistic Pediatrician," has written the cover article for Contemporary Pediatrics magazine on which herbs and dietary supplements can help children with nausea, constipation and similar gastrointestinal (GI) problems.

"What we did was look at the original research, the studies, what people were out there doing, and came up with a guide for pediatricians," Kemper said. "Historically, 50 years ago, people used home remedies. Then they began relying on prescriptions, and now there is a swing back toward using more natural health products."

The article in the current issue cites chamomile as one of the most widely used and safest herbs for children with abdominal discomfort. It can be given in small amounts to treat colic in infants and can be combined with peppermint, star anise or fennel for stomach aches, gas, indigestion and bloating for school-age children, according to the article.

Ginger has been well documented as a remedy for nausea and dyspepsia. Probiotics, such as yogurt, have been used to prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea, newborn colic, ulcerative colitis, and a variety of forms of diarrhea. On the other hand, the article says that star anise should be avoided for colicky infants.

The article recommends further study of herbal products for children and greater communication between patients, parents and pediatricians on these topics.

Kemper, a Brenner Childrens Hospital pediatrician who is the Caryl J. Guth Chair for Holistic and Integrative Medicine, wrote the article with Paula Gardiner, M.D., a clinical fellow at Harvard Medical School.

Die letzten 5 Focus-News des innovations-reports im Überblick:

For the first time, an interdisciplinary team from the University of Basel has succeeded in integrating artificial organelles into the cells of live zebrafish embryos. This innovative approach using artificial organelles as cellular implants offers new potential in treating a range of diseases, as the authors report in an article published in Nature Communications.

In the cells of higher organisms, organelles such as the nucleus or mitochondria perform a range of complex functions necessary for life. In the networks of...

At the 2018 ILA Berlin Air Show from April 25–29, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT is showcasing extreme high-speed Laser Material Deposition (EHLA): A video documents how for metal components that are highly loaded, EHLA has already proved itself as an alternative to hard chrome plating, which is now allowed only under special conditions.

When the EU restricted the use of hexavalent chromium compounds to special applications requiring authorization, the move prompted a rethink in the surface...